As the Eid holidays approach, more of our people -- especially the residents of Dhaka city -- will begin travelling to other parts of the country again.
While this has been a regular practice in Bangladesh, unfortunately, the perils of Eid time travels seem to be nowhere near reduced.
Every year, as citizens rush out of the city for the holidays, we find ourselves gridlocked and incapacitated. In addition to the traffic congestion, increased pressure on the roads and overcrowded vehicles have historically led to an unacceptable number of accidents and casualties too.
The number of ferries and launches do not meet the demands, and a lack of reliable and safe commute system leads to more complicated -- and often riskier -- travel routes and methods, jeopardizing public safety.
Despite being common scenarios every Eid, it is a shame that not much has really been done that can not only reduce the risks of Eid travels, but also make the process easier and more convenient for the thousands travelling.
Ahead of this year's Eid travel time, the authorities must do the needful to make the process smoother for the general public. Fitness checks must be ensured for all public vehicles, and appropriate consequences must be enforced for breaking road safety guidelines -- such as taking on more passengers than the vehicle capacity.
Better traffic management is also a crying need at this point in time; for the outgoing traffic during Eid -- which should be treated with urgency -- but also for the entirety of our country all year round.
As a lot of the risks mentioned require long-term planning for sustainable results, we must waste no time to begin to repair any and all connectivity issues within our country, and make travel safer and easier for all.
